Will ILLINOIS Become the Mecca for MMA?

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

ILLINI Assistant Coach AUSTIN O'CONNOR is set to make his MMA debut on June 9th. Former ILLINI starter at 157 JOHNNY MOLOGOUSIS is now 3-0 in the cage, and nobody has got past his fast hands into the second round. He recently went viral with a :32 TKO win. Former 197-pound Big Ten Champion MARIO GONZALEZ is a World Grappling Champion. JESSE DELGADO, who now coaches a wrestling academy right back home in Champaign retired as an undefeated fighter.

But I saw him sparring in a video at the ILLINOIS practice facility.... 

There is almost half an entire starting lineup for the ILLINI Wrestling team (DEUCE RACHAL, WE RACHAL, ERIC BARONE & MOUSA JODEH) training at an elite BJJ club in the Chicagoland area. BROOKS "BIG RIG" BLACK, former starter at heavyweight for the ILLINI, just won in the cage over the weekend with an arm triangle. 

Then--and this one caught me by surprise--IRTC Head Coach BRYAN MEDLIN was 5-1 in the cage back when cannibalism in the ring was not only allowed but encouraged. That makes him a master instructor in Folkstyle wrestling, Freestyle, Greco and MMA. 

I know stupid Penn State has Nickal, as well as Ed Ruth (whom y'all kindly shared with us) and that the Gophers have Blockhus, and I believe, one of those damn McKee boys, but is this something that every school is doing? To this extent? How do you think college wrestling will affect MMA, and how will MMA affect college wrestling? Will the future be Regional Training Centers that not only include but emphasize MMA?

Of course, there's also Izzy Martinez in the area training the big dogs for the UFC.  

[Antitroll2828]

48 minutes ago, ILLINIWrestlingBlog said:

ILLINI Assistant Coach AUSTIN O'CONNOR is set to make his MMA debut on June 9th. Former ILLINI starter at 157 JOHNNY MOLOGOUSIS is now 3-0 in the cage, and nobody has got past his fast hands into the second round. He recently went viral with a :32 TKO win. Former 197-pound Big Ten Champion MARIO GONZALEZ is a World Grappling Champion. JESSE DELGADO, who now coaches a wrestling academy right back home in Champaign retired as an undefeated fighter.

But I saw him sparring in a video at the ILLINOIS practice facility.... 

There is almost half an entire starting lineup for the ILLINI Wrestling team (DEUCE RACHAL, WE RACHAL, ERIC BARONE & MOUSA JODEH) training at an elite BJJ club in the Chicagoland area. BROOKS "BIG RIG" BLACK, former starter at heavyweight for the ILLINI, just won in the cage over the weekend with an arm triangle. 

Then--and this one caught me by surprise--IRTC Head Coach BRYAN MEDLIN was 5-1 in the cage back when cannibalism in the ring was not only allowed but encouraged. That makes him a master instructor in Folkstyle wrestling, Freestyle, Greco and MMA. 

I know stupid Penn State has Nickal, as well as Ed Ruth (whom y'all kindly shared with us) and that the Gophers have Blockhus, and I believe, one of those damn McKee boys, but is this something that every school is doing? To this extent? How do you think college wrestling will affect MMA, and how will MMA affect college wrestling? Will the future be Regional Training Centers that not only include but emphasize MMA?

Of course, there's also Izzy Martinez in the area training the big dogs for the UFC.  

Anthony Cassar is also fighting and is undefeated, and I’m pretty sure Nickal is part owner of the American top team gym they built in state college . Kerk, Nolf and Starocci all have expressed desire to go into fighting at some point too so I’d say Illinois will have to battle it out with Penn State for the wrestling Mecca of mma training 

[ionel]

8 minutes ago, Antitroll2828 said:

Anthony Cassar is also fighting and is undefeated, and I’m pretty sure Nickal is part owner of the American top team gym they built in state college . Kerk, Nolf and Starocci all have expressed desire to go into fighting at some point too so I’d say Illinois will have to battle it out with Penn State for the wrestling Mecca of mma training 

You may have missed it (see below) but IWB already addressed the Penn St situation. 

59 minutes ago, ILLINIWrestlingBlog said:

I know stupid Penn State has ...

 

[Threadkilla]

7 minutes ago, Antitroll2828 said:

Anthony Cassar is also fighting and is undefeated, and I’m pretty sure Nickal is part owner of the American top team gym they built in state college . Kerk, Nolf and Starocci all have expressed desire to go into fighting at some point too so I’d say Illinois will have to battle it out with Penn State for the wrestling Mecca of mma training 

Starocci, Nolf and RBY have trained at ATT to some degree already. Bo posted a photo the other day with Carter and several fighters and coaches including BJJ black belt coach Isaac Greeley who owns the mat factory. 

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

I can see ILLINOIS and Penn State leading the way. Minnesota right in there as well. It will be an exciting time. Every RTC will need to have an MMA component. It is a way for many more wrestlers to train and still make money and earn endorsement deals and influencer status on social media.

I just want all wrestlers to remember this: Keep your bloody hands up! 

In the original post, I forgot to link to the article that I posted that goes into much more detail, especially a rudimentary scouting report of Austin O'Connor's opponent and information about how Johnny Mologousis has become a rare commodity in the sport: A vicious takedown artist who is putting people away with his fists. 

The image below is from about 25 seconds into Goose's last fight, which ended in 32 seconds:

[ionel]

7 minutes ago, ILLINIWrestlingBlog said:

I can see ILLINOIS and stupid Penn State leading the way. Minnesota right in there as well. It will be an exciting time. Every RTC will need to have an MMA component. It is a way for many more wrestlers to train and still make money and earn endorsement deals and influencer status on social media.

I just want all wrestlers to remember this: Keep your bloody hands up! 

In the original post, I forgot to link to the article that I posted that goes into much more detail, especially a rudimentary scouting report of Austin O'Connor's opponent and information about how Johnny Mologousis has become a rare commodity in the sport: A vicious takedown artist who is putting people away with his fists. 

The image below is from about 25 seconds into Goose's last fight, which ended in 32 seconds:

ftfy

[Antitroll2828]

7 hours ago, ionel said:

You may have missed it (see below) but IWB already addressed the Penn St situation. 

 

He said they have Bo Nickal .. I pointed out they have an American top team gym right in happy valley and like 8 different guys training to fight in some capacity 

[ionel]

9 minutes ago, Antitroll2828 said:

He said they have Bo Nickal .. I pointed out they have an American top team gym right in happy valley and like 8 different guys training to fight in some capacity 

Think you missed his key point. 

[Antitroll2828]

9 hours ago, ILLINIWrestlingBlog said:

ILLINI Assistant Coach AUSTIN O'CONNOR is set to make his MMA debut on June 9th. Former ILLINI starter at 157 JOHNNY MOLOGOUSIS is now 3-0 in the cage, and nobody has got past his fast hands into the second round. He recently went viral with a :32 TKO win. Former 197-pound Big Ten Champion MARIO GONZALEZ is a World Grappling Champion. JESSE DELGADO, who now coaches a wrestling academy right back home in Champaign retired as an undefeated fighter.

But I saw him sparring in a video at the ILLINOIS practice facility.... 

There is almost half an entire starting lineup for the ILLINI Wrestling team (DEUCE RACHAL, WE RACHAL, ERIC BARONE & MOUSA JODEH) training at an elite BJJ club in the Chicagoland area. BROOKS "BIG RIG" BLACK, former starter at heavyweight for the ILLINI, just won in the cage over the weekend with an arm triangle. 

Then--and this one caught me by surprise--IRTC Head Coach BRYAN MEDLIN was 5-1 in the cage back when cannibalism in the ring was not only allowed but encouraged. That makes him a master instructor in Folkstyle wrestling, Freestyle, Greco and MMA. 

I know stupid Penn State has Nickal, as well as Ed Ruth (whom y'all kindly shared with us) and that the Gophers have Blockhus, and I believe, one of those damn McKee boys, but is this something that every school is doing? To this extent? How do you think college wrestling will affect MMA, and how will MMA affect college wrestling? Will the future be Regional Training Centers that not only include but emphasize MMA?

Of course, there's also Izzy Martinez in the area training the big dogs for the UFC.  

Had no idea Brooks Black was fighting , I thought he would be a world beater in college ,I guess injuries really slowed him down though but i definitely will keep a look out for him on the fighting scene 

[FanOfPurdueWrestling]

13 hours ago, ILLINIWrestlingBlog said:

ILLINI Assistant Coach AUSTIN O'CONNOR is set to make his MMA debut on June 9th. Former ILLINI starter at 157 JOHNNY MOLOGOUSIS is now 3-0 in the cage, and nobody has got past his fast hands into the second round. He recently went viral with a :32 TKO win. Former 197-pound Big Ten Champion MARIO GONZALEZ is a World Grappling Champion. JESSE DELGADO, who now coaches a wrestling academy right back home in Champaign retired as an undefeated fighter.

But I saw him sparring in a video at the ILLINOIS practice facility.... 

There is almost half an entire starting lineup for the ILLINI Wrestling team (DEUCE RACHAL, WE RACHAL, ERIC BARONE & MOUSA JODEH) training at an elite BJJ club in the Chicagoland area. BROOKS "BIG RIG" BLACK, former starter at heavyweight for the ILLINI, just won in the cage over the weekend with an arm triangle. 

Then--and this one caught me by surprise--IRTC Head Coach BRYAN MEDLIN was 5-1 in the cage back when cannibalism in the ring was not only allowed but encouraged. That makes him a master instructor in Folkstyle wrestling, Freestyle, Greco and MMA. 

I know stupid Penn State has Nickal, as well as Ed Ruth (whom y'all kindly shared with us) and that the Gophers have Blockhus, and I believe, one of those damn McKee boys, but is this something that every school is doing? To this extent? How do you think college wrestling will affect MMA, and how will MMA affect college wrestling? Will the future be Regional Training Centers that not only include but emphasize MMA?

Of course, there's also Izzy Martinez in the area training the big dogs for the UFC.  

Joey Gunther also trains at Lakeside BJJ as well as a former Purdue wrestler  

[ILLINIWrestlingBlog]

5 hours ago, FanOfPurdueWrestling said:

Joey Gunther also trains at Lakeside BJJ as well as a former Purdue wrestler  

I'm going to add Joey Gunther's name to the post right now. Thanks for the information!